A prospective health educator should have the ability to communicate easily and effectively with people from all sorts of backgrounds and cultures. Strong writing and speaking skills are important, as is the ability to process, and then relay, lots of information, to patients, students, and the public.

The door to health education careers in Massachusetts is opened at one of the state’s on-line, or conventional schools. Both have their advantages, and individual schools do vary in the curriculums of their health education programs, so make sure to do some research and find the school that’s the best fit for you.

Once in the classroom, begin thinking about what sort of career you want to have, and take full advantage of internship and externship opportunities that further your career goals.

As you near graduation, consider becoming accredited by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing. This step isn’t necessary, but will give you an extra edge when looking for work.

Once you’ve graduated, it’s time to choose whether you want to start working, or continue your education and work towards a master’s degree in a related field. Alternatively, some people choose to do both. It generally takes about two to three years to earn a master’s degree, after which, you’re ready to fully begin your rewarding career as a health educator in Massachusetts.